When I first started my blog my overall question was how fashion dolls affect teens and pre-teens self-image. While doing research I found that many people are interested in this matter. The sources that I have looked at all talk about the fact that these fashion dolls do affect girl’s self-image. The way that Barbie’s look is very unrealistic to the way most girls look, Barbie’s are not just affecting the way that girls look at themselves but they affect the jobs and careers that girls think they can do. My research talks about how little girls narrow there idea of what they think they can do after playing with Barbie’s. In my blog I have somewhat narrowed my research to focus more on Barbie’s because they are so popular and have this very fake look to them. I believe that these fashion dolls are only having a negative affect on girls but I think that there is a bigger picture other than the way fashion dolls affect pre-teens. I think that the reason girls struggle with self-image is somewhat because of the unrealistic way Barbie looks but more because of the pressure that society puts on girls. I personally believe that the way we see beautiful is a size 2 girl. 

As I am concluding on my blog I still have many unanswered questions but most of all I wonder if parents are the ones leading to the way that girls look at themselves. Parents complain about the way Barbie looks but they don’t stop buying them for their children, I believe that your parents have the ability to change the way you look at yourself just by the things they say to you. Almost every child strives to have their parent’s approval, so parents can simply help this problem by taking 30 seconds to tell their kid they are beautiful and that size does not define you. They will never quit making Barbie because she has been an icon for forever, so instead why don’t we help the problem instead of contribute to it. This issues involves not only young girls but parents, families, friends. 

The forth source I am blogging about is written by Larry Kirkwood. The article is titled “An Artist's Perspective on Body Image, the Media, and Contemporary Society.” Kirkwood conducts a project about body image and how we look at ourselves. In his project Kirkwood examines the image of what beauty truly is. He explains how we let things such as beauty define us, Kirkwood also includes the idea that we should not let others define us. The main point that  Kirkwood makes clear is that “health is not defined by size.” 

After reading this source I wonder what Kirkwood's overall goal was? I am most confused by him saying “America define reality for us, and encouraging body hatred is an extremely lucrative business." 

My final fifth source is about fashion dolls and what they are “Fashion Doll : From Bebe Jumeau to Barbie.” I found it important to include this because in my recent blogs I talk about fashion dolls and the affect they have on girls but I yet to explain them. In this post I will just give a quick view of what they are. Juliette talks about the use of Barbie dolls for art work. Peers talks about the issues that are brought up with the representation of the females.

After reading this source by Peers I wonder what she means when she says “The doll not only frequently looks like a woman, sometimes she is a woman; in fact she is a clear, unmistakable sign of women’s limited intellect, passivity, frivolity.” While reading this source I wonder why moms still buy there daughters Barbies even though they disapprove of them. 

So far researching my topic I have found many helpful things on how people see Barbies affecting teens and preteens. I have yet to run into any problems with not finding information. I have found it helpful to narrow my search to teen girls. Some of the comments that have been given have me thinking on how I can answer the questions, I have found that others bloggers are interested in the topic I have chosen but want more answers. In researching I have discovered that many people are affected by the fashion dolls look.

The second source I read was by 3 female authors Lauren Jones, Ellen Buckner, and Renee Miller who talk about thinness and eating  disorders that are being caused. In  “Chronological Progression of Body Dissatisfaction and Drive for Thinness in Females 12 to 17 Years of Age”, the authors talk about the age in which girls strive to be thin. They discuss when females begin to have the body dissatisfaction and why. They explain eating disorders and what they believe causes them. They look at young active girls that are dancers. Self-image and body dissatisfaction as they discuss begins most noticeable at the age of 14 and carries through 15. When girls reach the age of 15 and 16 that is when the drive to be ultimately thin begins. The way that females look at themselves is harsh and sad that to be beautiful we think that means we need to be thin. After reading this source I’m most confused on why the author only talks about dancers why not all other types of athletic females? While reading this source I wonder what the authors mean when they talk about that the body dissatisfaction was widespread within the population. Is the drive for thin-ness becoming a nationwide thing? Should people be worried about all females aged from 14-16?

The third source that I am writing about is about a test that the two authors conducted on how playing with dolls makes girls want to be thin.  In “The Effects of Playing with Thin Dolls on Body Image and Food Intake in Young Girls” ,they used little girls aged 6-10 and had them play with Legos, an averaged size doll and then a thin sized doll, after that they gave them all food. Some girls ate more than others depending on the doll they played with. The young girls were also given a questionnaire on body image. This source reflects upon body image on young girls after seeing something small and perfect like a fashion doll. After reading this source, I’m most confused by the choice of food that was given to the girls to taste test? What questions were given on the questionnaire?

Blog #1

How do fashion dolls affect girls’ and preteens’ self-image? I chose to research self-image on young girls. I am going to research if playing with fashion dolls affects how girls and preteens look at themselves. I also want to know the effect that these dolls have had on girls. I'm interested in this topic because the way fashion dolls such as Barbie look is not realistic to most girls. The manufacturers make these dolls look so fake and have all this makeup that I would not want my child to wear or look like these fashion dolls.

The first resource site that I chose to blog about is by Aurora Sherman, who is a professor in the department of School of Psychological Science at Oregon State University. "Playing with Barbie dolls could limit girls' career choices"describes a study that was conducted to see if playing with Barbie dolls limits young girls perspectives on the what jobs they could get when they are older. The girls that were chosen for the study were aged 4 to 7 years old. The study was done only with Barbies as to what I am researching is on the general idea of fashion dolls.They dressed the Barbie in two different outfits trying to see if that would differentiate what the young girls thought they could do as a job. One Barbie was in a dress as the other was a Dr. Barbie. Sherman’s information is very insightful and applicable to my topic that I've been researching. Sherman, in her article talks about how the little girls would play with three options ( two different Barbies and Mrs. potato head) for a few minutes and then were questioned on 10 different job occupations. Sherman writes that more information will be needed to help understand the whole concept of the effect that fashion dolls have on young girls. 

After reading this article several questions arose for me:

• After reading the source I wonder why the author limited the study to just Barbie dolls?
• After reading this source I wonder why the author chose Mrs. Potato Head to compare and contrast whether Barbies limit career choices? To me it seems like Mrs. Potato head and Barbie are for different age ranges.
• After reading this article, I wonder what the implications would be if the girls that were chosen all came from different families and all the parents differentiated on the amount of money they make to expand the study and further the study?

Sherman, Aurora. “Playing with Barbie Dolls Could Limit Girls’ Career Choices, Study Shows.” Oregon State University, 5 March 2014. Web. 12 Oct 2014.

Fashion dolls

I am researching the effect that fashion dolls have on girls aged from 8-16.